One Gear: Converting and Maintaining Single Speed & Fixed Gear Bicycles Hardcover – January 15, 2012

Of all the bicycle books I own, this book 'One Gear', would have to be my favourite!I'm not a "Hipster", adolescent, bike messenger or track racer. I just completely enjoy the simplicity of a bike that lacks multiple gearing, carbon fibre frames, and evolving complexity of function over form. Most days, I ride my fixed gear bicycle to get me where I'm going, I don't want or miss all those added gears to my pedalling experience.This book 'One Gear' offers a a brief but colourful snapshot into the mechanics, maintenance and the building of a vintage frame into either a single speed, freewheeling bicycle or the re-making a new/old fixed gear bike. The book is lavishly illustrated and the photography invites a more singular and intimate look into the culture of these simple yet endearing modes of personal transport and, expression.If you are keen enough, you might want to build up your personalised bicycle instead of buying a bike 'off the shelf' ... there are detailed instructions, accompanied with the exact tool, you'll need to do that very project. While basic, the instructions are clear, concise and right to the point. Inside you'll find information on flip-flop hubs, coaster brakes and wheel building. The classic frame builders Cinelli and De Rosa are also featured here.There are photographs of various bicycles, each as individual and distinctive as the imagination of the builder allows. The single most important feature with any fixed gear bike, is the design allows customisation, what ever you want your bike to look like and perform like, you'll find inspiration within these pages. I love this book. Buy it; it's a worthy addition to your bookshelves!

Unlike any repair or fixit book you will likely every read. It's a "Graphic Design" look at bicycle building. The photography is mostly in color and very well done, photos of lots of bikes and street scenes. The entire book is well designed, page wise, a coffee table book on building your Fixie or Single-speed bike. Everything you need is there for building, from tool selection to the bike to the parts, all in order for you to follow. I didn't want to refer to it while doing working on my bike for fear I would get grease on the pages. It's not a real in-depth book for repairs, for that you made need to go to another book or to You Tube, depends on you. The book is a treat and I do refer to it often and will do so more when I find that elusive frame with horizontal drop out so that I can finally build my single speed.

If there is any book you NEED to get if you're new to bike conversion, it's this one! It has everything from picking out a bike to convert including wich bikes are the easiest for newbies. It lets you know about all the different tools you'll need including how to use them step by step WITH pictures. It has awesome pics and cool fixie art to inspire the entire process wich makes it fun and less scary to do this on your own.

Great book.

As a bicycle nut and envision someday in the future build a bike . This book is easy to read from cover to cover The photo are wonderful and well detailed.

A solid, simple, and yet serious entry level book on fixed gear bikes, culture, and mechanics... this was money well spent!

Book is awesome informative all around. Just by it, if your maintaining a track bike or looking to convert that beater this will break the process down in a simple was all can understand

Great book, however this seems to cover only the conversion of road bikes.

This book is more like a coffe table book than anyting else. You get a basic overview (a guide) of how to convert you bike to single speed / fixie. Many pictures with great quality - not so much to read. The overall quality is great (the binding). I think this book could be a great gift to someone interested in bicycling or the bicycle.

Goes on forever about the same thing with now dated pictures and pushbikes. Buy a more concise book on single speed conversions or find all you need to know on the Net in 20 minutes.

...questo libro da un'idea chiara e sintetica della meccanica delle FIXED. Per qui si approccia da neofita a questo mondo lo consiglio.

gute Anleitung mit Fotos für ältere aber auch neuere Fahrräder anwendbar...als alleiniges Hilfsmittel für einen Laien nicht ausreichend, aber man bekommt schonmal einen guten Überblick

Ottimo libro con tantissime idee e indicazioni, e molte foto. Non è completissimo e per questo non dò le 5 stelle.